A Machine-to-Machine/Man (M2M) communication system consists of M2M nodes and an underlying network. The M2M nodes communicate with one another through the underlying network. Each M2M node at least includes an Application Entity (AE) or a CSE. The AE is a logical unit that executes a practical M2M application. The CSE is a logical unit that manages and serves the application. An underlying Network Services Entity (NSE), which may be embodied as, for example, a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) or an MTC-Inter Working Function (MTC-IWF) entity, provides services of equipment management, location-based service, equipment triggering and the like for the CSE.
Communication between M2M applications is implemented by interaction between CSEs. The M2M applications are required to be registered in the CSEs, the CSEs are also required to be mutually registered, and then interaction between the M2M applications may further be implemented by communication between the CSEs. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of M2M system architecture according to a related technology. As shown in FIG. 1, in the M2M system architecture, an application node is an end execution node, which may be, for example, an intelligent electric meter, a temperature measurement and control sensor, a fire alarm and an intelligent home appliance. A Middle Node (MN), which may be embodied as, for example, a gateway, is middleware that connects the end execution node to a network-side server. An Infrastructure Node (IN) is a network-side server, and an application registered to the IN (i.e., an IN-AE) may be, for example, a management platform of an M2M Service Provider (M2M SP).
Application nodes may be divided into two categories according to different functions. An application node of a first category includes a CSE while an application node of a second category includes no CSE. An Application Dedicated Node (ADN) at least includes an AE, and does not include any CSE. An Application Service Node (ASN) at least includes an AE and a CSE.
A group management common service function in a CSE enables an M2M system to execute a batch operation on multiple pieces of equipment, applications or resources in a group. In addition, the group management common service function supports a batch operation over multiple concerned resources, and aggregates execution results. A group resource represents a group of resources of the same type or multiple types, and is arranged to execute a batch operation on resources indicated by a “member list” attribute. The group resource includes an attribute representative of members in the group, i.e. the “member list” attribute, and a virtual resource “distribution point” capable of applying the operation to the resources represented by the members. When a request is sent to the virtual resource, the request is distributed to the members, indicated by the “member list” attribute, of the group resource. Responses of each member to the request are aggregated and fed back to an initiator of the request.
During a practical application, the number of equipment, applications or resources in an M2M group may be very large, so that distribution of a request message and aggregation of response messages both require relatively high signaling overhead, thereby occupying network resources and even causing network congestion.
Therefore, there exists the problem of network congestion caused by relatively higher signaling overhead required by a batch operation over members in a group in the related technology.